Supply chain expertise 'needed at board level'

A growing number of firms are recognising the need for supply chain specialists at the top level of business, experts believe.

According to the Financial Times, the operational intricacy of competing in a globalised market has seen more supply chain managers emerge from the back office to take up board positions.

The newspaper cited the rise of Tim Cook, who was chosen to replace the late Steve Jobs as Apple's chief executive earlier this year, as evidence of this growing trend.

John Manners-Bell, analyst at the Transport Intelligence consultancy, said the way supply chain managers are viewed by senior executives has "changed significantly" in recent years.

"Operational experts were always the poor relation in the corporate hierarchy. Now, supply chain bosses are winning their way to the top of the pile," he told the publication.

The Cranfield School of Management published a report on supply chain strategy in the boardroom last year.

It said the impact of supply chain operations on overall performance is "increasingly prominent", in terms of both cost and value creation.

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